Sunday, June 27, 2010

Over my time in Miami I have said over and over that the best way for me to be successful is to start my own business. I have dabbled in lawn care and from time to time auction some items on Ebay for profit, bought a domain name, and tried to start an AAU program with big hopes and lots of failure. What I have found out about myself and what I keep going back to is my love and passion for sports.

I have been really focused on working out and learning different ways to get in shape, now I don’t feel like I am in good enough shape right now to be a personal trainer. But what I would like to do is really focus on training for athletics. I would like to teach the game of basketball on an individual basis, with specific sports training being the focus. In laymen terms I would like to work with basketball and/or football players and work on individual skill improvement on the court but also off the court with strength and agility.

I am soon to be working with an individual for individual basketball instruction and hopefully I can get a feel for how I can develop this individual into the best player he can be. I need to look more into strength training and start researching books and stopping in at colleges to see what they do to develop and strength train college athletes.

An individual that I have been researching is Alan Stein. He is a strength and conditioning coach for one of the top high school basketball schools in the nation. He has done countless DVDs, camps, clinics, and more. He is someone that I would like to use as a mentor or person to emulate.

The main point is I will be following up more with the Fitness as a business and in my life. Vive la fitness or Vive el ejercisio. Steven Donovan present and accounted for. Thanks for reading.

One thing across America is people have no patience and I'm sure I can be included. Whether it's cutting someone off on the road or putting your entire car in the crosswalk like you are the only person that matters in this world. This is probably the thing that frustrates me the most, I even get worked up about. I believe in treating others as though you would like to be treated, so smile and make people feel welcome. Many things can get you worked up, but the most important thing is what you do about what annoys or bothers you.
What makes me calm and peaceful is listening to classical music. I listen to 89.7, which is a classical station in the Miami area. It relaxes me and puts me at ease. Even the radio announcers talk like they are on the 18th green at the U.S. Open, it is simply relaxing. I mean someone can cut you off and you have Mozart composing a masterpiece with no words, just pure music. It takes a lot to get upset at someone when you are listening to Classical music.

So just remember whatever makes you upset or gets you irritated just remember the Big Picture, the world does not revolve around you. Do yoga, ride a bike, listen to music, but avoid having a stressful day and just relax. Also feel free to let me know how you relax and what makes you patience. This is Steven Donovan, the poster boy for patience and virtue :)

So I had big plans of waking up early and heading to the gym close by my work so I could workout and go for a swim. Well since I stayed up a little late the alarm clock and I did not agree it was time to wake up. However I did go to the gym with limited time and did a complete workout, swimming will be after work:) Did I really just do a smiley face, I’m rethinking my sexuality after that, but I digress.

So I had less time to workout so I switched up. I decided to combine exercises to give myself less rest time this way getting done faster. Just remember to lower your usual weight so you can get through both exercises. Here is an example of what I did 8 To Be Great Of Course:

Incline Press>Bicep Curl

Lat Pulldown>Tricep Press

Pylo StepUps>Shoulder Press (with Kettleballs, I love those things)

Pylo Jumps>Ab wheel (Pylo with Kettleballs)

I was able to get my workout done in less than 45 minutes and that includes a warm-up and stretch. Also a couple last pieces of information do not leave ice on a leather couch overnight your girlfriend will despise you for at least a week(general estimate of course) and I lost 3.5 pounds this week. So I am getting closer to that 225 pound goal where I want to be. Stay Consistent with Steven Donovan.

Friday, June 18, 2010

I going through some articles for a player on workouts and weight lifting. I came across an article on Kobe Bryant. Now I am not a big fan of Kobe Bryant, however I respect him as a player and a professional athlete. Much like Michael Jordan when he was playing, I did not want Michael Jordan to win all the time, but I did know he was the best player.

What I found on how much he worked out in the off season was incredible. He called his workouts blackouts or the devils workout because he worked out 6 hours a day, 6 times a week, 6 months out of the year. Next time I feel overworked I should think about how much Kobe puts into his craft. He would do 2 hours of basketball, 1 hour of martial arts, 1 hour of running on the track, and 2 hours of weights. Not everything is exact, but that is the general summary of his workouts. To me that is just incredible, I mean I have heard players coming into the first week of training camp and they have barely even touched a basketball. Just another reason Kobe is the best.

As I was reading the article I came across the reason I wanted to write this blog article(or whatever they call it). For his weight lifting routine he was asked about what lifts he uses and how he trains. He was asked if he used plyometrics for his jumping. He responded with that he used more Olympic Style lifts. Then he responded with the main thing he did was stay consistent. You won't find Kobe running his a$$ off you will find him working hard every day. He doesn't take days off he stays consistent. Kobe doesn't go to the gym and put up 3,000 shots in one day and not come back for the week. He puts up 500 shots everyday for a week so he can build on being the best.

I may not have captured the article the way I would have liked which is why I put in a link http://www.helium.com/knowledge/145056-kobe-bryants-workout-plan, but the main point is to be the best you have to put in work everyday and put in more work than every other person. Stay consistent and work hard. Kobe Bryant is the Black Mamba for a reason. Wishing you a Happy Month of June, Steven Donovan

So I have been talking a good game about making more money but i have not done enough to bring in the necessary money. I am waiting on a position that I truly want and would solve a lot of the shortage of money that I have. I recently have been doing well at my current position with sales, but this is not enough to pay the bills.

If the position does not come through that I would like, I really need to consider other options. The lawn mowing which is speratic at best(as it picked up after I wrote this), I would like to use that for credit card payment only. Other options that I need to look into include working at a restaurant as a server or bartender. This will give me flexibility and bring in immediate cash. I applied for a couple of positions at the golf course and plan as soon as I find out more about the position I am waiting on to start asking about caddying in the mean time. Plus caddying could put me in touch with more business contacts. Those are the 2 main jobs that I could see myself involved in.

So many things depend on the position I am waiting for. I don’t just want a job, I want something I really would love to do. I saw a sign that said we work 66% of our lives do something you love. I couldn’t agree more. God always knows what is best for you, I will put it in his hands and doing my best in the mean time. Yours Truly, Steven Donovan

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

So I really want to do a triathlon. I have had friends do them, all a little less than 6’0” and probably in between 140-175 would be my guess. Needless to say they are in very good shape and all 3 are good athletes. So I have began to think about training for a triathlon.

What I am really worried about is the time commitment. Training for a tri, the usual training is 12 weeks long and 6 days a week. I currently lift weights 3 times a week, run once or twice, bike ride once or twice, and play another sport once. So to go from what I do, to really focusing on only swimming, running, and biking. I’m not sure if I am ready for it.

My main concern is the swimming. The gym that I currently use does not have a pool and the closest gym with this takes some time to get to. This is probably all excuses to not train for a tri. I have considered at least running a half marathon so I can establish myself in a race setting.

I currently run right around 5 miles a week so I don’t believe the running for the tri would be very difficult. I want train for the sprint which the running is usually around 3 miles, the biking is about 12-15, and the swimming I believe is ½ mile(I can’t even comprehend what that actually means in terms of what I can do).

So I guess at this point I believe I need to add something to my workouts and go from there. I think the best thing I can do is add to my workouts and see what happens. The gym with the swimming pool is close to where I work so the best thing to do would be after every time I close to go to the gym and swim(rhyming at not charge).

So it has been decided I am going to start upping my workout regimen.

• I will be lifting 3 days a week(riding my bike to and from whenever possible)
• I will be swimming after work(2 days during the week)
• I will be running 2 times(where as before it was 1 and the start of 2 times)
• I will be playing basketball or cardio after I lift for 20-30 min(whenever time permits)

Ok my version of tri training has begun and my workouts will intensify. Signed, sealed , and delivered, Steven Donovan

Now recently I have read some great material on how much people have saved and use coupons. Great blogs like Get Rich Slowly and I Will Teach You to be Rich. So yesterday I did the grocery shopping and here are some things that happened with coupons and saving money.

> First I went through and looked what we needed, made a general list while looking at the Publix shopping ad online, which allows you to start a grocery list. So I really focused on the Buy one Get one Free deals and fruits that were on sale.

> Next I looked for coupons that would save money on the brands that I usually buy. For instance we buy Horizon brand chocolate milk(best tasting stuff out there you should try it). I was able to sign up on there website and save .55 on a 1/2 gallon of chocolate milk. Although it was difficult finding a coupon for certain grocery items like Chuluha Sauce, but I was able to find a couple of good coupons.

> So I sent the grocery list to my email and went to the store. Overall I did a good job in buying only what was on the list. Whatever was not on the list I put in the child seat to give myself a chance to think it over. My goal was $90, my total was $113. So I stayed close to budget.

> Always check your receipt before you leave the store. I found 3 different errors, where I was able to save $8.00 on my grocery bill. So I went over my budget only $15, which I considered a small success.

> What I learned is you find a good sale make sure to buy it even if you don't need it. For example, I bought Crystal Light because it was Buy One Get One Free, now I already had 3 or 4 in the pantry, but getting them at half price only makes sense. So some items I purchased were not necessities, but will save money over the long run.

> So overall I consider it a success. My total savings according to Publix was around $37 and with the $8 they put back on my debit card, I would say I saved $45, which really makes the frugal me very happy.

So remember it's ok to cut out or print coupons and save money. My lesson is frugal=value=cutting coupons=making a grocery list=saving money.

After watching a local kiosk sell some sort of cream or lotion crap, I noticed something. Now this is not a surprise to most of you, but Sex Sells. I don't care if you are selling to the opposite sex or the same sex, people gravitate to attractive people. The kiosk at the mall brought on a cute girl and she was doing much better than the other people who were there previously and then then they brought on an even better looking saleswoman. What happened you ask? Yes more people stop and listen to the pretty young lady.

Does this means she sells more, that I cannot answer. I truly believe that you still need effective sales skills and preferably a good product. But if you need to sell anything I am convinced it would help to have an attractive sales staff to bring more people in. I mean on commercials for products you always see beautiful people, models and actors/actresses, SEX SELLS!!!

This will not work for every product, but it will certainly have a positive effect on most of them, especially anything that deals with beauty. Sell clothes, shoes, accessories, then you need to have a sexy sales staff. Do you need a sexy staff if you mow lawns, probably not unless you are selling to single housewives and you offer to mow the lawn with your shirt off. I have even seen a company that advertised women in bikinis mowing lawns, not that I would use them but I can see where that would be enticing. I mean if you want people in your bar or restaurant have a beautiful staff, they will come. Hooters is a great example of sex sells. Is there food good sure it's good, but just like Playboy says I just read the articles. The truth is Sex Sells!!! A basketball coach told me that an ice cream shop was owned by an old man and he used to only hire very well endowed women, sure did get his business. So you get the idea. If you are starting a business or already own one make sure to think about putting a little sexy into your business.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

So one way to make a little cash and cut those fees of your favorite store is to work for them. Like the saying goes if you can't beat'em,join'em.

Say you are spending $50 month at your local gym, why not get a job working part-time there. Not only will you get the free membership but you will pick up some extra cash on top of it. Another great example is clothing stores. Feel guilty spending $30 on a t-shirt at Express? Why don't you apply for a job and work there every Wednesday night. So you will get there discount and cut down on your clothing costs. I really believe this could work for almost every favorite store you have. I mean I work for Rosetta Stone, I get to study the language for free and make money at the same time.

Now I do throw a caution flag out there for you shopaholics. This could be bad news, instead of using the money to get a discount you are spending the families grocery money to buy a new pair of jeans because you get 30% off.

Caution

1) Don't work there if you have to buy a bunch of outfits first (Abercrombie and Fitch). This puts you in the whole and you might just hate working there and quit.

2) Don't buy just because you get a discount. Save money, don't spend it.
3) Pick something that you use often or is convenient. Working at grocery store if you get a 20% discount makes a lot of sense.

4) Make sure you get a discount. Working at the Home Depot you get the same discount as customer abc, which sucks avejas( I think that's goats)

Sometimes life is not about how much money something costs or how much you saved it is about living life and having a good time. I recently had a birthday and one of my presents was 2 tickets to a baseball game. It was a great evening at the game, despite a little rain and the team I wanted to win did not pull out the "W". Here is how the night went and I will also share some money saving techniques along the way that made it even better.

The evening started out with dinner at a restaurant with a sandwich and a beer. Don't forget the concessions at a professional sporting event are astronomical. I mean $9 for a hot dog, $6 for nachos almost seemed like a deal. So be smart eat before the ballgame. If you have time and the resources tailgate and grill out with beers and brats from your own house, saving lots of cash.

We had great seats, we were in row 10 and because of some great research by my girlfriend we did not even pay face value for the tickets! We enjoyed a great game all the way down to the last pitch to decide the game. We avoided the concessions, although a close call and did not even buy a poncho with the rain that started(I did forget the umbrella in the car, my bad). But it was a great game not too many people, it's the Marlins it's never too many people.

After the game we were walking back to the car and noticed the team entrance was on our way so we decided to wait and watch the players come out in there fancy cars and nice suits. There was a small crowd waiting for autographs and pictures, but no more than 50 people, make that no more than 25 I'm guessing. I did not have a lot of interest in many of the players, but I was definitely a fan of a select few. The Milwaukee Brewers have some great talent on the roster and I enjoy watching Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun along with the rest of Wisconsin. After waiting for some time some of the players that I recognized came out. Now I am not an autograph type of person unless it has some meaning or I met the person and had a conversation with him or her. For example I caddied for Michael Jordan if I was able to get to sign a scorecard or a picture of us that would have meant something, but to never meet the person and have them sign a ball or picture doesn't really do it for me. One of the better players was Prince Fielder however he was not signing anything today, but later Corey Hart came out a fan favorite of many and began signing. I think he is a good player but my friend Molly would have liked it much more than me. As we were getting close to leaving Ryan Braun came out and we happened to be standing next to someone he was friends with so he came our way. It was a feeding friendzy, I even had some old lady scold me for not getting out of the way. She said "If your not getting an autograph can you move", I basically laughed at the lady and moved my foot about 3 inches. She also began arguing with a 10 year kid how much better she liked Ryan Braun. It was funny to say the least. What I really wanted was a picture and as he signed everything for everyone it did not seem like I was going to get a picture. I stood on the side of him while he signed autographs so I got a picture or two that I was happy with. He then proceeded to be checked in for the bus and I asked the girlfriend if we could wait just a moment while he got on the bus. I happened to catch Ryan Braun's eye and asked Ryan if my girlfriend and I could get a picture with the All-Star Left Fielder. Security actually stopped him and told him that he could not go and he could not touch anyone, but he came over and took the picture with us as close as possible without touching. Although I thanked him afterward and shook his hand anyways, but all in all it was a lot of fun. Ryan Braun was a classy individual who signed autographs for everyone and even took a couple pictures that made some little kids day and maybe even some big kids.

So the Brewers lost but I felt like I had a winning day(yeah kinda cheesy I got it). I should have the facebook photos coming up here very soon.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

So I have been going at my diet and exercise for either 5 or 6 weeks and have a weigh-in on Wednesday(I skipped last week's weigh-in so it's 2 weeks worth). But what I have noticed is after the initial weight loss or the initial portion control we slowly go back to our old ways. Now I have done a great job of keeping the workouts fresh and new switching them up every 3rd workout, ie incline dumbbell press Mon and Wed, then Fri and Mon I will do side crawl push ups. I do this with every exercise, so nothing gets stale or old, why not switch it up with my diet and tracking of my meal plan?

So I have decided to get back to basics and switch things up. I was tracking my daily food and exercise and things I would accomplish during the day and then I started missing a day here or there and now I'm not even carrying it around. That is why I'm losing a pound and not 5 pounds, my mind and body have gone back to my old way of life. You have to have a lifestyle change when you change something that you do everyday.

So my major changes will be:

> Writing everything down in my journal

> Blogging more about finance and fitness so I stay motivated.

> Keeping my diet strong for the whole week with portion and measurement control

When I weigh in tomorrow I hope I will have lost weight at least a couple pounds, but if not I will truly get back to basics and start off with that 5 pound weight loss like I had in week 1. Steven Donovan working hard.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Sometimes life throws you a curve ball, other times you are Pedro Cerrano in Major League and you can't hit the curve ball. That's exactly how I feel sometimes with job opportunities. I apply and they say curve ball you are not XYZ we cannot hire you. Every job that I have ever had although it is few I have excelled and been well liked by everyone. So sometimes it is frustrating to receive a call or not receive a call and not receive a job that you would flourish in.

The great thing about this analogy is sooner or later you hit that curve ball it is just probability and statistics. The ball will hit the bat and I will do great in that job. So although it is a struggle I still feel like everyone has struggles they just work there way through them. If you want to be successful you have to and that's exactly what I want to be I just want to be I just want to be successful (song).

Business News

The NBA Draft is fast upon us and I own a great website for the potential #1 pick in the NBA. I have contacted his agent via email about possibly purchasing the website, I am thinking about having a friend who was an agent previously talk with them for sale of the website.

Lawn Mowing is going good. I have 2 properties on the books and unfortunately 2 properties that fell through, but through no fault of my own. One property her husband hired someone before she contacted me and the other property asked me to come on the same day he called me, which happened to be Mother's Day and a day I worked 7 hours, I went the next day and failed to talk with him again.
Fitness

Weight loss has been great and I have even been running 5 miles once a week, but my eating habits are not a great as when I first started. My major concerns are eating late and eating too much of the healthy food (I mean healthy food has calories too. I am still hoping to be under 240 by my birthday, something like 235 would be great, but I would accept just losing weight this week. I have noticed gains in strength and it would probably be even more if my shoulder didn't start to act up. So overall things are good I just need to stick with the program and make sure I workout everyday.

Monday, May 17, 2010

I have been kinda stingy with my blog posts. Overall I have been doing great. I lost 14 pounds in one month, been hitting up the gym 3 times a week, running or riding my bike 2 or 3 times a week, and eating healthy. Sugarbusters works, it is a simple idea that I follow very closely. Basically only eat whole wheat carbs, eat lot of fruits and vegetables besides potatoes and corn, don't eat anything with added sugars, and lose weight. It has worked; the better I eat the more I lose weight.
My new struggle is eating too much of the good stuff. I have to be careful and eat in moderation and measurements like I was when I first started. This week I have challenged myself to a weight loss of 6 pounds by my birthday, which is incredibly possible. I plan to workout a little more and start adding 2 workouts a day this week to really work off the weight. I did a 2 a day on Friday where I ran 5 miles and hours later I did my usual 8 to be Great workout routine, I was spent and feel it today, but I'm sure it will be worth it.

In the 2 a day workouts I plan to do my usual 8 to be Great, but then add some cardio or I would like to add either a group class or interval training where I do explosive jumps for 30 seconds, followed by jump rope for 30 seconds, push-ups for 30 sec, and 30 sec of abs. This would really get me sweating and a great workout.
Personal Finance Update

This month has been good with extra money so far, however I have 2 added bills for this month, one for insurance and one to renew the license on the Benzo de Lorenzo. This will cost an extra $160-$200 and the insurance will be reoccurring for 6 months at $110-150, which is the last thing I need for my budget. Also I have a cut of hours for the next 2 weeks, which will not hurt immediately, but will have effects as time moves forward. I am currently looking for other work or even full-time work. I would love to get a 40 hour a week job and then use my money from my part time job to help pay my credit card bills.

I am still working on downgrading from the Benzo to a more affordable vehicle. I have only listed the car on Craigslist and have not had any success. I have reduced the asking price and just recently added in my title Motivated Seller. Another expense that will be added will be my student loans starting again in June. I need to look into paying a smaller amount at this time so I can reduce my budget. The interest rate is so low on these loans that the less I can pay on these and the more on my higher rated credit cards the better.

These next couple of months as always I need to really keep track of my budget and do what I can to make it as I look for more more dollars in the bank account. I did a great job of paying extra on my credit cards, but this month I have done less due to the concern of upcoming months where I will need the extra money. I have some decisions to make but above all I need to keep the budget tight and look for other ways to bring in the dollars.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

I have talked about many small part time business opportunities and I will hit on another one today.

Like any small business you would like to start part-time while you work your 40 hour a week job. This opportunity is no different. All you really need to start is a lawn mower, weed wacker, rake, gloves, and a vehicle to haul your equipment.

Now to start we needed all of these things for house anyways so I have them, besides my big purchase of the gloves that I used last week, best 2.97 I ever spent, thank you Wal-Mart.
Mowing lawns is not brain surgery and anyone who tells you it is or wants you to buy this or that just to get started I would tend to disagree. I started out with the equipment I mentioned, fliers, craigslist, and some extra hours to put in.

The fliers while I put in some time to make them look nice has not got me an ounce of business. Craigslist on the other hand has provided me with a couple of opportunities that have made me money.

I'm not saying I'm making a lot of money but enough to make an extra payment on my credit card or student loan makes a big difference. The business I have received so far has been an initial clean-up of the property that was usually neglected and then the opportunity comes to be there on a regular basis. People who are renting out the place and just want the yard to be trimmed and looked neat is a perfect example of who my target market would be.

The biggest things I have learned so far is do whatever and whenever. If they ask you to just come once and they never want to use your service again, that's fine because usually they will end up calling you in the future anyways or referring a neighbor who needs your services. Another great example of this is I was out of town and someone called for a lawn I explained the circumstances and I would be in town shortly and I never heard from him again, loss of business.
Be reasonable with the people. I usually take a look around and get an idea and what I would charge and then ask the customer what they think is fair. Usually it's the exact same price anyways and you make them feel like they made the decision or they are getting the best price possible.

Follow up promptly. This has been crucial with one customer as if I did not call him I believe the lawn would go back to the first day where it looked like an abandon lot.

Hopefully these ideas and little bits of information will get you started in the right direction in your own business. Don't be afraid and don't make any excuses start today.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Well this past week despite being sick which limited my workouts I lost 3.5 pounds, bringing the total to 8.5 pounds for the week. My goal for this week is 5.5 pounds, I am going to try and lose an extra half pound this week to make up for last week.

I have really been getting on the bike to work out. I would like to add some more basketball or running workouts to keep my body guessing.
My 8 to be Great has been going, well GREAT. I have been able to switch up different exercises to keep everything fresh and new. Here are a couple exercises I have used listed below.

Abs- I started using a kettle-ball and Bosu balance ball to work on my core. It involves taking the kettle ball and wrapping it around your body from your stomach to your back all while maintaining your balance on the Bosu ball(half moon looking ball).

Chest- I have been doing a lot of incline dumbbell presses to increase my strength, but because I have been feeling sick and did not want to use any heavy weights, I did push-ups. But instead of regular push-ups I got on the basketball court and would do one push-up and take my right arm/right leg and move it to the right then move my left arm/left leg and move it to the right and then do another push-up. After doing just 15 of these I was absolutely exhausted(maybe the sickness had something to do with it, but I doubt it).

Legs- So I have been using a lot of explosive movements for my legs including plyometrics. I would grab 10-15 pound weights and perform step ups on a 12in-24in platform, then quick steps with the same weight, then jump up with the weights on the 12 in platform and then step-ups on the 24 in platform. It keeps you moving for some cardio, great explosive exercise, and changes things up.

Just remember eating is the real key. If I eat whatever I want I will not lose any weight, but if I eat right I will either lose or stay the same weight, but if I add working out to that weight loss happens. I have to be disciplined, I have to stay dedicated and committed.

So something that can make sense for people is to transfer debt from a high interest credit card to low or 0% interest rate credit card. This can be a great incentive to save money by transferring debt. You could go from $100 in finance fees per month to paying $0 for an entire year(most companies charge 3% of the transfer ie$30 or every 1K). If you are going to pay off this card in less than a year this is a great savings.
The biggest problem or concern with this is you have to stop adding debt. Just because you know have $0 on your Visa card and $5000 on your new Discover card, doesn’t mean you have money to spend. I only recommend doing this if you take the old and the new credit card and either cut them up or have someone hide them.
Because think about it, why do companies offer this great rate? For a couple of reasons: 1) if you miss a payment the interest rate goes up 2) if you don’t pay off the entire amount some credit card companies charge you interest from the first day you transferred the balance 3) most people do not pay off the entire debt and then the company is back to earning the same finance charge they usually get 4) they anticipate you will put new debt on the credit card so they can make some more money 5) they are still making some money off of you for just paying off your debt 3% is some money that the company has made.

So my message is to be weary of the credit card balance transfer. Only do this if you know what you are getting yourself into. CAUTION CREDIT CARD BALANCE TRANSFERS!!!

So after looking over my budget it has come to my attention that I need more than just a part-time job, go figure right. While I am doing everything I can with mowing lawns, selling things on ebay or amazon, trying to work basketball camps. The fact remains that I need more money coming in. Can I transfer debt around for awhile to stay alive, probably, but I need something that works for 40 hours a week. I need to go on another job hunt. Selling the car is in the works, however I have not received any calls from the listed price. The price I put is probably to high, but that is what is needed to pay off my car. I am considering going to a Ford or Toyota dealer and trading in the vehicle for a cheaper car. This way I can save on payments, insurance, maintenance, and probably gas. I want to have a different vehicle by June 15.
Overall I have spent to much in gas money. I did a great job last month keeping my total under $100, but now this month is over $150, not good. I need to either watch it more closely or come up with a different way to budget the $100 that I have planned to spend.

Another money transgression I have made is I went over my cell phone bill(terrible I know). I usually have bonus minutes to cover this so I don’t give it much thought, but I ran out on the last month. I went $70 over, but with a simple phone call I was able to save half. So one phone call saved me $35. I will do my best to get rid of the entire total, email or even another call, it’s not like it could hurt anything.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

So today’s society is all about I want it now. So when I initially looked over my credit cards and debt. I wanted to pay it today and have it be done with. REALITY CHECK!!! If I took over 7 years off and on to accumulate all of my debt, it is completely unrealistic to think that I can pay it off within a short period of time. Especially with the amount of money I am currently making, but even if I was making a lot more it still would not be payed off today.

The best thing you can do is attack your debt with as much ferocity as you can, then just make sure to keep going at with that same I hate you mentality. Recently I have sold things that I did not need so I could pay off debt. Now will I be able to sell things I own in month 8, probably not. But if you are paying attention to major purchases or your grocery bill you could pay your debt even faster. Shop around for cheaper insurance, just because your parents used American Family Insurance does not mean you have to. Shop around and check Geico, Progressive, State Farm, it could save you $20 or maybe $500 you don’t know unless you check it out.

So I have been off to a great start with paying off my debt and I look forward to the update on May 1 to show how much I payed off in just one month. Hopefully I wil be able to keep up with that same I hate debt attitude each and every month. Pay it off today, no, but pay it off someday soon I sure hope so.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

I have great news I lost 5lbs!!!!! It took me a week, but I am off to a great start. I have been eating healthy and working out(missed one workout). I even took a 12 mile bike ride down to Coconut Grove. Be consistent.

Money Updates

I officially listed the Benzo de Lorenzo for sale on craigslist yesterday and will be hoping for the best. I considered going to CarMax but after reading terrible reviews I opted to not go through the hassle.

Money Reminder

Make sure you are contributing to your 401k with at least the company match. You are giving away free money if you don't participate. Don't worry so much about what you put your money in(index fund or total fund) just putting money in your 401k makes you money, decreases your AGI, which makes taxes less now and when you do your year-end taxes. Plus if they match your contributions you are doubling the money you put in and also receiving tax deferred savings. It's the best of both worlds, sign up, pretty please.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

So if you read Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey or any of Suze Orman’s books they will both tell you that you need an emergency fund. Start there first. So a lot of people myself included think “Ok I’m $20K in debt and you want me to put $500 aside for a rainy day, come one let’s be serious.” The reality is we all need an emergency fund and it’s not a rainy day fund that you can do with whatever you like. It is for a broken air conditioner, car repairs, etc.... NOT a sale at Express or a can’t miss business idea.

So do it establish an emergency fund. I don’t want to see your car die or have to get towed(just happened) and you have to put all of that debt on a credit card because you can’t afford it. That is what the emergency fund is precisely for.

I have read numerous finance books and blogs about how much you should establish an emergency fund with. I have read anywhere from $500 to 6 months worth of your salary. Here is what I recommend for everyone in there 20’s and early 30’s.
· Start Small. Put $100 in a checking/savings account(not a CD, 401K, IRA). If that is to large I want you to take whatever you can and put that in the account. Also I want you to do whatever you can to bring that money up to $500 over the next couple of months. Sell your books, dvds, put a hold on your gym membership, eat brand X instead of brand Y. Think of all the ways you can save and just do it.
· Now that you are at $500 congratulations, that was great and now you don’t have to worry about the tow truck. Now the next step. I want you to take $100 out of your paycheck for the next 5 or 6 months. I’m not saying this is easy, but I want you to stick with it. This will be the beginning of something beautiful.
· You are set. If you are in your 20/30’s single or at least not married. Congratulations I believe you have a great emergency fund and anytime you have a true emergency use it and when you use it start over and Start Small to build it back up.
· Married Life. So if you are married you need to take this to the next step or even if you feel that your job is insecure maybe you get layed off during winter months. You need to build and build this emergency fund to where you feel comfortable if you lost your job or something unexpected would happen you would be prepared. This is where you should build anywhere from 3-6 months of your salary into the emergency fund.

One of the first things you need to do is establish the emergency fund, it is the smart thing to do. If I were your personal finance guide, this is how the steps would look.

1. Find out where your money is going

2. Figure out how to stop it from going to bad places

3. Start putting your money in good places(start an emergency fund)

Any good personal finance book should at least mention an emergency fund. But don’t take my word for it read a money/finance book and see what they have to say.

· Complete my 5 lbs weight loss by Wednesday after my workout. Also to work towards losing 5 more lbs by the following week.

· Complete my 8 to be Great Workout 3 days this week. Stay Consistent.
· Do other exercise 3 other days this week. Ride my bike, go for a run, play basketball, do a little bit everyday.
· Stick with my Sugar Busters diet. I believe it works, eat less, eat less sugar, and eat healthy. Make sure I am not eating after 8 p.m. I broke this rule twice this week and although it was celery and peanut butter and some nuts, it was still breaking what my goal was.
Finance

· Complete all Ebay transactions. This will help with paying off my debt.

· Be careful with spending to much on gas.

· Figure out what I want to do with extra money coming in. Does it go for debt, income needed to pay bills in upcoming months, emergency fund?

Sunday, April 18, 2010

So my car talk and riding a bike really woke me up. I don’t think I can afford to not sell my car. If I had my full-time job and salary this might be easier, but if you want to be debt free it doesn’t make any sense to have a car loan on a Mercedes Benz. After going through the pros and cons I believe it is in my best interest to sell the car. Will this be difficult maybe, but I have to find out. I work part-time currently and to have a large payment is not the right thing to do financially. In Miami I am really trying to keep up with the Jones’ and that's not what I want to do.
I will put the car for sale on craigslist. If I can sell the Benzo de Lorenzo by the end of the summer it will basically cut my bad debt in half. I will need a vehicle, but spending 2K or 5K is a savings of almost 10K.

I hope I am able to sell it for a fair price. All I really ask is to sell the car for what I owe on the car. This could be more difficult but in the end worth it. I will start with craigslist and see what response I get and then move to local papers. I mean $300 for the car payment, $100 for insurance, and the potential of other costs that come with it. With a used car I will be able to have a very small payment if any and start paying off debt and not be afraid of not having enough money.
The Diet and Excercise Update

· Diet is going well I have only been on it for a total of 4 days but I am eating healthier and less. So far so good.

· Exercise this week has been great, I did the 8 to be Great workout 3 days, and have rode my bike at least 3 or 4 times this week and even went running once. I also played basketball 2x. What a week!

· Financially I have done a much better job of putting my finances in order. I have budgeted out to at least August. I sold 4 different items on ebay.com, and mowed lawn all for extra income. It is hard to put goals on my debt because of the part-time job. However, I will start doing a monthly goal list to take a certain amount of debt off of my credit card

Saturday, April 17, 2010

This is a question that has come up between my girlfriend and I in the past, she usually has good advice and steers me in the right direction.

So I am doing my best to get fit and get in shape, I need the gym. I believe cardio isn’t going to answer all of my problems. I spend 32.09/month for membership at 24 Hour Fitness, a large chain gym with alot of very nice ammenities. I also am able to go to almost any other 24 hour fitness gym in the United States. I chose the option of being able to use the the swimming pool in other locations for $3 extra/month.

· Cardio-treadmill, eliptical, stair stepper, about 75% have personal tv’s on the machines, once again basically everything you need

· Ab area- weighted ab machine, excercise ball, etc, everything you can think of minus some of the stuff you see on tv

· Group classes-yoga, boot camp, ab craziness

· Basketball court- My personal favorite I won’t join a gym unless they at least have a basketball court

So if you go to the gym 3 times a week that comes out to $2.47 every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. $7.41/week and $385.08 for the entire year. Now some personal finance people would say with my debt that I need to cut everything. That 32.09 would save me 3 months worth of payments on my credit card. A couple things they don’t factor in are Does it make you happy? Do you need the gym? By getting in shape will this cause you to eat less and healthier which saves you money? I can answer yes to all of these questions. I need the gym and I want to be there. If 6 months from now I am 25 pounds lighter and have real muscles, $192.54 will be like the Visa commercials priceless. Me wearing a speedo and comfortable with it, priceless(ok maybe too far)

The Other Side of the Coin

My girlfriend is a small little 120 pound size idk 0,2,4 whatever she’s small. She works for an accounting firm(nerd, not that that’s a bad thing). The last time she went to the gym was at least 3 months ago and that is being generous. Does she need the gym, of course. Sitting in a chair all day and eating out all the time at work it could only help. But to spend $100 per visit is probably the dumbest thing you can do with a gym membership and she stopped it, finally, but she did it and is saving $30/month. Now hopefully I can talk her into putting that money towards her debt every month. She has to listen to me I’m correct, she will listen right?

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Yes it’s like that sugar don’t start with me. So you know how you read or see people have that moment where they get fed up or are scared to death and change. That’s what happened to me.

It may seem simple or not much to have such a moment, but I went to the gym and was just finishing up my workout and I gained a pound from l believe a couple days ago but it may have been a week. I was so upset that I made a promise to myself that I am changing my lifestyle/eating habits/excercise what ever you want to say. I am losing f***ing weight. The title was almost F*@& Fat, but I toned it down a little.

So I am kicking up the workouts a little bit and really focusing on eating. The workouts will remain the same but I will add some cardio in my off days(everyday that I’m not lifting). I will also add some cardio before and/or after my lifting working outs. Like yesterday I biked to and from the gym and also played basketball for 15-20 minutes.

The idea is eat less of the sugar filled crap and you will lose weight and become healthier. I paged through the book it’s all about only natural sugars and eating right. I will let you know how it goes, hopefully better than my Special K Diet which I failed miserably.
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One thing I have been lacking through all of my money saving and business ideas is setting up goals to meet and excede my GOALS.

I have done a good job so far of making monthly goals for excercise including 1 month, 3 months, and 1 year. So I have something to shoot for, not just lose weight or get fit. It is lose 15 pounds in a month or 3 months. I do my best to keep up with everything by keeping a daily journal on what I eat, what I need to do for the day, and if I completed it or not to keep me on track.

So I will be making some financial goals and putting the goals on the blog. This way I can do my best to take away debt.

I have debt from college student loans, credit cards( I used one as an emergency fund, bad idea), car(even though I got a great deal on it), and a personal loan (which those of you who know me very well know I had some legal issues in the past). So what does this all mean and what should I do?

The student loans I treat like my mortgage they are important and I will never miss a payment, but it is basically good debt(by that I mean it reduces my taxes). My personal loan which happens to be to my parents I treat like I am providing them with a cash flow for the rest of there lives so I am ok with paying this at a regular monthly pace just like my student loans. Don’t miss a payment but don’t put it as Priority Payoff #1.

Now the IMPORTANT STUFF. I have 2 credit cards and a car loan which is in the neighborhood of 30K. My car will take me 4 years to pay off. Credit card #1 and the lowest balance will take around 6 years at my current payment. Credit Card #2 will take around 7 years and has the second highest balance.

So I have been reading and recalling some of the best ways to lower my debt. Here is my game plan taken from a little bit of everyone and adapted to my situation.

· PAY OFF THE LOWEST DEBT FIRST REGARDLESS OF INTEREST RATE-THE SNOWBALL EFFECT AND THANK YOU DAVID RAMSEY ( I WILL GIVE MORE DETAILS LATER IN ANOTHER BLOG)

· DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO PAY OFF THAT DEBT, PART TIME JOBS, SELLING STUFF I DON’T NEED OR SHOULDN’T HAVE BOUGHT, WHATEVER IT TAKES

· SETTING UP AN EMERGENCY FUND. I PLAN ON TAKING ABOUT $100/MONTH AND PUTTING IT ASIDE SO I DON’T GET CAUGHT UP AGAIN AND USE MY CREDIT CARDS

My goal is to pay off this debt in 3 years. So I want to cut the time it would take in half. After that I will take care of the next hightest debt which will be my student loans, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I know what I'm talking about with money and personal finance but now to implement it.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

One of my biggest enemies is consistency. I can eat great all week Monday-Friday and then come Saturday I have had 6 beers, Ate 7 hotdogs(impressive right), ate a whole wheel of cheese(thank you Will Ferrell), and had a late night snack of a bag of Doritos. So whether it is eating, excercising, job/business ideas I lose my focus.

I am perfect for spending 8 hours researching a business idea and then doing one part of it and moving on to another idea. A great example is my jwallhoops.com website(I have not forgot about you baby) I have worked hours on putting it together and was consistent for a small portion of time, but I have not touched it in over a week. Now I’m sure I have some valid excuses but that’s all they really are is excuses. I am putting it on hold right now, with other more important matters.

So I have to start somewhere and regain the grip known as consistent. This topic does have some involvement in developing a routine, because if you do something over and over you are being consistent.

My Model Example My Guru-Nathan

I want to give an example of consistent and a developed routine involving excercise. My friend Nathan is in great shape, I mean borderline abs model(yes you are that attractive, lol yes i did it don’t judge me). But what he does is the same thing every day. He wakes up does some pushups, stretches, cardio type excercise for about 15-30 minutes. He eats healthy and often, but for breakfast it’s usually the same thing cereal. He rides his bike to work/school he competes in tri-athlons(yes his real name is Clark Kent). Then on a daily basis he works out whether it is running, biking, swimming, lifting weights or a combination of 2 or 3 of them he works out religously. He is athletic, but he is so consistent that he is great shape. That is my goal to be in great shape. Learn from the best, learn from a guru.

SideNote

Ok really boring day at the mall, but I have seen excitement in small parts today. I saw security(not uniformed so you know they were like detectives) catch a thief and then accuse them and ask questions right in front of me, my heart was racing a little. It also made me realize why I gave up stealing guns and running drugs at the age of 8.

Next I look up and I’m not sure but I think the entire Abercrombie model catalog just walk by I was caught a little off guard because in Miami I see models and people who literally dress up in the same clothes they go the club in as they go the mall.

Last and hopefully not the last thing today. I saw a break up in front of Pac Sun. Not the only one I have seen, but when it’s an employee it ups the fight. Not really any yelling(boo thats no fun), but some loud talking about how I don’t want you followed by some following and then the (always my favorite) the "fine F*** you or I don’t need you anyways or I’m glad we are done". Classic simply Classic.

So what is junk food? I think we all have a pretty good idea what it is, but here is a refresher list.

· Chips-I don’t care if they are fat free or reduced fat they are chips

· Soda- I love Coca-Cola, Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew you name it but it’s liquid death

· Candy- This can include ice cream, skittles, snickers, all the stuff that you used to eat on a daily basis when you were in school

· Fried- French fries, Beer battered fish(Wisco people know), and everything else that you can probably get at a bar or get as an appetizer at Applebee’s.

· Fast Food- If you don’t go to McDonald’s or Taco Bell you will probably save money and live a healthier life. Think about a regular meal has fried food, soda, and fast food as my listed Junk Foods. Avoid, treat it like they spit in your food or throw it on the floor because chances are they just might.

Ok so we have the BIG 5, for junk food. Avoid Avoid Avoid. Easier said than done.

Here is a couple of tips I use to stop the Junk Food

1. Don’t Buy The Stuff, if it’s not in your house you reduce the chances to under 10%(no scientific research done that just what I think).

2. Ok you or your roommate bought some junk food, Hide It. Sounds crazy but if your hungry and all you see is fruit and vegetables and the junk food is hidden upstairs in a box somewhere you probably will not run upstairs and play Hide and Seek with the Doritos.

3. Pack your lunch for work-Brown Bag It. I know you have to wake up 15 minutes early put together a turkey sandwich, grab an orange/apple, and grab or fillup a water. Crazy Talk I tell you. Save Money and Get Fit, the whole point to my blog people or person if I have only one reader.

4. Make a cheat day/cheat meal. Ok I have not had great success with this, but if you are relatively healthy why not take a Saturday at a ballgame/mall and have some nachos and a coke/beer or have a starbucks(yes that’s fast food) latte and a brownie. Also I said a beer not a six pack.

5. Make a deal with yourself. You are only allowed to eat fast food/candy/soda whatever it is, if someone buys it for you. So not only will you save money but really what are the chances that your friends(not girlfriend/boyfriend or husband/wife that’s not allowed) buy you McDonald’s 3 times a week? I’m guessing 2.3%(It’s a fact or the exact opposite).

Monday, April 12, 2010

So I own a nice car and make payments on it. I bought a used car through my work because my other car was ready to die( I miss you Tracer you Can’t Replaca). So i found a used Benz( Now Benzo De Lorenzo) for 2K under Blue Book. If I would have stayed with my current job I probably wouldn’t be saying anything, but life is full of surprisesso I have to at the very least bring up this topic.

Pros of Selling the Benzo de Lorenzo

· I save over $300/month not including the $100/month insurance and $100/month maintenance. OMG when I say it like that this, $500/month that is a lot of money

· I will get great exercise, I mean it is about 10 miles on a bike to work each way, plus any other trips I would make to the library, grocery, etc....

· I would have a great tan and be in the best shape of my life, think Lance Armstrong with 2 testicles, sexy isn’t it.

· Never pay for parking, not that I spend a lot on parking, but I’m sure it amounts to at least $10/month and I rarely park in the paid areas, I will walk a mile before I pay $5.

· Pay off my debt that much faster, I mean basically an extra $500/month or more

Cons of Selling the Benzo de Lorenzo

· I drive a really nice car, it makes me feel good about myself, I own something nice.

· I would have to take the bus/train/bike/walk everywhere, everywhere

· It costs money to take the train and bus, it’s not a lot but it would certainly prevent me from going a lot of places.

· I would need to wake up much earlier to go anyplace. I figure a 15 or 20 minute trip could take take an hour or two just to get there.

· I truly believe in keeping cars for a long period of time after you have paid the vehicle off. I had my first car since high school and drove it for at least 3-5 years after it was paid off.

· I put a lot of miles on when I first got it, so like all cars the value has decreased and for me a little faster than I expected. So currently I owe about 2K more than the car is worth. So I would need to sell the car for a higher price than it is worth, which would be unlikely.

· It could affect my job/future job. I plan on getting into financial advising/education whether it be now or in the future

I’m sure there is more things to consider and please comment if any come to your mind. I’m sure many of you are saying trade it in and get a less expensive car where I would still be saving $200/month and yes I have considered that also, but life is full of choices make sure you weigh all the pros and cons!!!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

First I would like to define hobby. A hobby is something that you love to do and if you made the choice this would be one of the interests that you would do for the rest of your life.

So as far as my Basketball ideas, they have been coming along nicely. The AAU team I did not put everything into it that I should have. I am certainly not giving up on anything dealing with AAU, but it is certainly not the direction I am putting my effort.

The 1st annual Divine Savior/Florida Playmakers Basketball Camp is set for May 1 and is coming along very nicely. It is great to partner with a school and athletic director that is handling a large portion of the day to day functions. My resources will be spent on getting other players/coaches to help with that day along with putting together(mostly done) and practicing how I would like the camp to run.

If all goes well I will be making money for my time, not a lot of money, but more than I would at my part-time job. So don’t forget to put a little extra into what you like and don’t let failing stop you from doing anything.

After going through some of my business ideas, I realized that I needed to make money now. Alot of my business ideas are more for building up a business. Most of us want instant gratification, I want it now type of attitude and I am no different.

After reading a financial blog Get Rich Slowly (one of my favorites), I came across a good article giving a couple of ideas for making extra money. One thing that I had plans to do, but just needed a little motivation was to sell my books that I had either bought or had been given as a gift(I don’t really believe in buying books, but more on that later). So I decided to post them on Amazon.

Putting them on Amazon was a fairly easy process. You need a seller id/account which I already had from some of the Amazon links you see here. Next was to list the books. All you really needed is the title or ISBN number and to put a price on them. I know everyone wants to get what they paid for the books, but I went with the method of put the lowest price listed.

Now Amazon gets a commission for selling your book on there forum. They charge a certain amount for shipping to the customer and give you a reimbursement for what it will cost you to ship the product(I will give more detail as I sell the books). So maybe you only make $2 or $3 dollars, but how many times do you read a book. Plus I am willing to bet your local library has the same book that you can read again.

Sales update. I posted about 20 books yesterday around 6 pm and before the night was over I sold 4 books, so to me it already has been worth it. Now I just have to figure out the cheapest way to send the books via USPS.

Monday, April 5, 2010

If you make 1 million dollars a year and spend money on leasing new cars, buying a 9 million dollar house, new clothes, vacations, and so on. What do you really have to show for? You would have a house that you cannot afford, a car you do not even own, and clothes and vacations that if sold would get you pennies on the dollar.

Now if on the other hand you make 50K a year, you bought a used 1997 Mercury Tracer(great buy if you ask me), a small house that is undervalued and really just need cosmetic upgrades, and you prefer buying clothes at thrift stores or only at discount stores like Ross or Marshall’s, then I believe you are better off just from those few details of spending vs saving.

A book comes to mind that really shows what keeping up with the Jones’ gets you. It is called The Millionaire Next Door. If you have not read it, get it from the library and read it. The principles behind there research are that millionaires don’t spend millions in fact it is quite the opposite. They buy used cars, save money, and make sound investments.

So right now I am making very little money with my job, but I am also spending so little that I am doing a better job of paying bills and focusing on getting out of debt. Maybe you should to.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

So what is better, cheaper, and more exercise than a day at the beach? I don’t think anything is. Today I ate a healthy meal, tanned on the beach, went swimming, and walked around the beach.

What was the cost? Nothing but gas money, parking, and food. So if you used your regular groceries it cost you nothing out of the ordinary. Parking cost a total of $5.00 all day. Gas money, since the beach is like 20 or 30 minutes away I’m guessing it cost 2 or 3 gallons of gas at the very most. So gas, parking, and food all for under $20.00 sounds like a great way to be healthy and put a couple of dollars in your pocket.

My thoughts on the beach and exercise

I have never seen a fat surfer or someone who does water-sports. So that is just another reason why going to the beach or getting on the boat or surfboard is one of the best exercises you can do. I mean with surfing you are swimming with only your arms over and over to try and catch a wave. Then after you have swam out with your board you have to time your wave, which means some more paddling and then when you catch the wave you have to try and push your body weight up and maintain balance. Surfing really works your core muscles. A lot of twisting and turning keeping your abs tight and flexed almost at all times.

Another thought about the beach is it makes you self conscience about working out, but at the same time you let go of yourself because it is a place to have fun. You are not competing against Mr. Gold’s Gym wearing a size medium with his XL body. Run around like a kid, swim in the lake or ocean and soak up some sun.

Lastly my theory of a tan.

I have said this for the last 15 years. A tan increases your looks from 5-10%. So if you are an 8 and kinda pasty, head out to the beach and get that extra .5 or full 1.0 that you have been wasting on lotions and creams. But please don’t just lie there, run around a little, exercise and enjoy yourself. The theory of tan has spoken.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

So I went to the gym yesterday, hooray for me. But it was a good workout I’m starting to fine tune the 8 is Great Workout. It consists of 8 exercises averaging 8 repetitions for 3 sets. Here is a little taste.

· Body Area Worked: Chest

Type of Lift: Incline Dumbbell Press

· BAW: Bicep

TOL: Easy Grip Barbell Curl

· BAW: Lats

TOL: Lat Pulldowns

· BAW: Tricep

TOL: Single Arm Cable Pressdowns

· BAW: Shoulders

TOL: Military Press

· BAW: Abs

TOL: On Ab Ball Front/Left Side/Fight Side Crunches

· BAW: Legs

TOL: Hack Squat

· BAW: Legs

TOL: Deadlift/Lunge Explosions

That is the workout, you can start with any lift and change up the Type of Lift with barbell, dumbbell, or machine. Whatever you feel comfortable with to start. I like the saying of it’s hard to do it’s worth doing. Stay tuned as I give different exercises, warm-ups, and cardio that I use in my workout. 8 to be Great.